Bryce Elder Silences Doubts With Another Strong Start for Braves

The Braves' often-maligned starter continued his late-season surge with a dominant outing against the Athletics.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 2:41pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball pitcher's delivery, with sharp, overlapping planes in navy blue, forest green, and burnt orange, conveying the dynamic motion and energy of the sport.Bryce Elder's renewed confidence and improved 'stuff' have the Braves optimistic about their rotation's potential.Atlanta Today

Bryce Elder delivered another impressive performance for the Atlanta Braves, throwing six scoreless innings in Monday's win over the Oakland Athletics. Elder has been a polarizing figure for the Braves, but his strong finish to the 2025 season and continued success in spring training has quieted some of the doubts surrounding the team's rotation.

Why it matters

The Braves entered the season with questions about their starting rotation, but Elder's outing was the fourth straight strong start by a Braves pitcher to begin the year. If Elder can build on his late-season surge from 2025, it would provide a major boost to the Braves' pitching staff and ease concerns about their rotation depth.

The details

Elder allowed no runs on four hits while striking out six batters over six innings of work. Going back to August 24th of last season, Elder is the only pitcher in baseball to have allowed three runs or fewer over at least six innings in each of his outings. He struggled earlier in his career, but has made significant improvements to his 'stuff' and overall approach on the mound.

  • Elder's strong outing came in the Braves' first game of the 2026 season on March 31.
  • Over his final 44 starts dating back to July 2023, Elder posted a 5.99 ERA before turning things around late last season.

The players

Bryce Elder

A 26-year-old right-handed pitcher for the Atlanta Braves who has had an up-and-down start to his MLB career, including an All-Star appearance in 2023, but has shown signs of turning a corner with a strong finish to the 2025 season.

Walt Weiss

The manager of the Atlanta Braves, who praised Elder's performance and noted that it was an encouraging start for the team's rotation.

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What they’re saying

“He was really good over the last four or five weeks of the season, probably one of our best. Then he was throwing the ball well in spring training, and it has carried over. That doesn't always happen, but it's big for us – obviously, all the starters are, but to get these types of starts first time through the rotation is a confidence-builder for everybody.”

— Walt Weiss, Manager, Atlanta Braves

“Definitely more complete. I think in 2023, I went on a run where I was just making good pitches over and over and over again. I even got away with some, and you're going to get lucky sometimes. But from a 'stuff' standpoint, and just the crispness of stuff, absolutely I do [feel like a better pitcher than in 2023].”

— Bryce Elder, Pitcher, Atlanta Braves

What’s next

Elder will look to build on this strong outing in his next start, as the Braves continue to evaluate their rotation options early in the season.

The takeaway

Bryce Elder's dominant performance against the Athletics is an encouraging sign for the Braves, who have faced questions about their starting rotation. If Elder can sustain the improvements he showed late last season, it would provide a major boost to the team's pitching staff and help solidify their chances of returning to the playoffs.